Mexico and Albuca

Monica Swartz eciton@utexas.edu
Fri, 22 Apr 2016 19:54:40 PDT
Hi Jane, that doesn't sound like Albuca spiralis which flower when 
the leaves are dying down. It could be A. hallii which flowers before 
the leaves start. However, A. hallii is very early for a winter 
Albuca, blooming for me in early October here in the N. Hemisphere, 
and is one of the first to sleep (mine went dormant 3 weeks ago).
When did your plants get their first water of the season? Maybe they 
are confused about where they are, did you import them? Are the 
leaves slightly hairy/downy (spiralis)? If it is A. hallii, NO 
fertilizer and very good drainage is necessary (pure pumice or 
equivalent) and as much sun as you can give them. The leaves spiral 
tighter in more sun. A. hallii doesn't like to freeze, mine are 
protected on frozen nights, but go down to freezing nearly every 
night for part of the winter. A. spiralis is more forgiving both with 
temperature and drainage. Both go dormant once temperatures reach the 
80s.
Of course, you may have one of the summer-growing species instead. 
The only one I grow that has flowers before the leaves is A. crispa, 
but it usually only puts out one leaf at a time, not the octopus arms 
you described (A. hallii is like that). I'm worried about your plants 
as A. hallii is difficult at the best of times. Let us know more 
about the flowers.  monica



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